


Tears of Blood

by ephona



Series: Ephona's drabbles [8]
Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-03
Updated: 2016-01-03
Packaged: 2018-05-11 08:21:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5620021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ephona/pseuds/ephona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SPOILERS FOR THE MANGA; HEADHUNTER ARC</p><p>A short drabble about Vincent and his relationship with Elliot and the rest of the Nightray family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tears of Blood

“Meanie! Vincent, you meanie!”

The halls were filled with the snake-like laughter of little Vincent and the high-pitched screeches of his brother, Gilbert.  Vincent had a stuffed dog in his hands and was running away from his older brother.  Gilbert was either red with anger or embarrassment that such a toy was being publicly shown to the rest of the house.  They zig-zagged around the winding halls.  It didn’t cease until Vincent spun around on his heels and faced his brother. “Just kidding!  Here you go, Gil!”

“V-Vincent!” He snatched his dog back without hesitation and clutched it to his chest.  All Vincent did was chuckle.

“Don’t lie to me about something like that!”

“I’d never lie to you, nii-san.”

“Whatcha playing?” Head bobbing, the youngest Nightray cantered towards the two boys.  His curious blue eyes glittered. “Huh? Huh?”

“Nothing!”

“V-Vincent stole my doll!” Gilbert was quick to point the finger of accusation.  Of course, their little brother wasn’t sympathetic.

“Oh! Oh! Can I play too?”

“It’s not a game…”

Vincent hummed a playful tune as he skipped into the parlor.

“Gil! Let’s play horse!”

“ _No_.”

“Horsey! Horsey!” Elliot chased Gilbert, trying to hop on his back.  “The royal knight needs his noble steed!”

Gilbert groaned and flopped on the couch. “ _Nooooo_ ”

“Hey!” Earnest Nightray poked his head in.  “Shut up your stupid kids!”

“Oh! Sorry!”

Fire spilled out of his eyes as he walked away. Gilbert hated that.  He was accepted into this family but only by mutual ties.  No one really liked him other than his brother. 

Everyone except Elliot.

There was something about Elliot that was so different.  He wasn’t so stingy and every open minded.  Maybe it was because he was younger.  He didn’t know.  But it didn’t matter to him.

“You’re brother’s a meanie.” Vincent pouted his lips.

“Claude? Nuh uh! He’s nice! and Earnest is cool!”

“Well I don’t think so. He doesn’t like me.”

“Well he should! You’re so fun a-and friendly!  He should like you.  You and Gil.”

“Well….he doesn’t."  Vincent droned. "The Nightrays hate us. They’ve always hated us…”

———

“So why didn’t you?” Hearing his voice echo through the eerie silent room caused his back to chill. Only a moment ago were those walls filled with screams of pain and agony.  Screams so deep in horror that they still rattled his bones.  And now, it has all be transfered into blood.

Elliot’s blood.

Elliot Nightray was dead.

It had been years in the making. Vincent had a plan.  A plan so ingenious it has concerned Pandora.  The plan to kill all the Nightrays.  It had all gone well until now.  Vincent held his hands behind is back. “Elliot, you didn’t hate Gil and I.  You were noble even in death. He turned his head away.  His plan had failed.  He knew this.  He lowered his head in humility.  "Elliot, you were different. But…I can’t change you.  You are so brave to reject your own chain even under the fear of death."  Silence was his friend.  Silence was his only comfort. 

"I loved you, Elliot. You were the only one who cared.  Even as you grew up, you respected us as Nightrays; not some aliens thrust into your family for political gain.  You weren’t like them!  Why….did you die?  I never want you to die.”

The silence was full. Not even a breeze could be heard.  Just enough silence for one sound to pierce it.  A mutter. A mumble.  So quiet Vincent couldn’t understand it.  He lifted his gaze to the black and red form.  Lips were moving.  Elliot’s lips.  Vincent leaned over Elliot’s body.  “Elliot?”

The broken, tear-filled voice was now within his ear.“ Vi…Vincent?”

“Yes?”

“P…please tell…tell Leo something…”

“You shouldn’t be talking. Elliot you-”

“No.” For a moment, his sky-blue eyes opened and dispelled the darkness on his face.  He locked his gaze with his adoptive brother. “Please…..tell him…I’m sorry, Leo.”

A moment’s pause.  With a sharp breath, he replied. “I understand. I’ll do it. I promise.”

Slowly, weakly, Elliot nodded. For a moment, his lips lifted up in a sullen smile.

“Thanks…nii-san.”

———

“Master Vincent, it’s unlike you to leave without proper farewells.”

“Don’t question me. Get in.” Vincent motioned for his servant, Echo, to open the door for him like a good footman.  He silently went in and told the driver to go west, Away from the Nightray house.  Moments later, horses hooves filled teh sound around.  He leaned towards the window with a sigh.

“Master Vincent?”

“Hm?”

“Echo sees Master Vincent is down.  Is it something Echo did?”

“No. No. Not at all.”

Echo saw it.  The light.  The light always present in his odd eyes was gone.  His face muscles were sullen and no smile even touched him.  Echo tilted her head. “Master Vincent, lying is bad.  If it wasn’t me than why are you sad?”

All that was heard was the click-clack of hooves and churning of wooden wheels.  Vincent let out yet another sigh.  In the moonlight, Echo saw something else glistening like a diamond in brilliant light.  It made its way down Vincent’s pale cheek.

A tear.  A wet tear.

“M…Master-”

Vincent began to weep.  It was unlike anything Echo had seen before.  It wasn’t just tears rolling down, no.  Vincent had moved to cradling his face in his palms and sobbing, whimpering and blubbering like a lost child.  He sniffed.  Sniveled. Wailed.  Tears were falling on his clothes and even on the carriage floor.  The strong, sturdy tower had suddenly crumbled into rubble.  At first, she was too shocked to do a thing.  Vincent had never cried before.  Not like this.  The floodgates were not spilling out like a late monsoon.

“V-Vincent? Vincent?”

“Echo…” She understood it through his sobs. “E…Elliot died.  My brother, my _nii-san_ died!  T-the only one I loved more than Gilbert!”

“But he’s a Nightra-”

“No. There is no wa he’s of the Nightray blood.” His face was damp and red as he lifted it up.  “The Nightrays hate me.  They only….only use me like everyone before has! B-but not Elliot. Elliot…loved me…"  He crumbled back into tears. "Elliot..was the only one.

The only true Nightray.”


End file.
